Black News

Star of “The Last Dragon” died at the age of 41: Here’s why

Leo O’Brien may not be a household name, but he’s well-known to those who are aware of his seminal work as an actor. The star of the hit film, “The Last Dragon,” died at the age of 41, back in 2012. The cause of death had not been released, but after a deeper investigation, it turns out that he died from injuries from a gunshot wound.

Here’s what was reported from TheLastDragonTribute.com:

Official Toxicology reports were inconclusive but Michael feels differently he told me ”a guy we know named Travis shot him 3 times in 2011. The doctors sewed him up but they didn’t sew him up properly, so he died in his sleep from the bullet wound injuries and the improper way the doctors stitched him up. After he came home from the hospital he would always say how much his insides hurt, and his hand would go numb all the time. We believe its medical malpractice… whatever they did to supposedly fix the bullet wounds they did not do right…. somehow his insides shut down and he died in his sleep. He had a private funeral in Inglewood, New Jersey where he was born. He was cremated. In the casket he had on a blue suit and his dread locks were nicely done. I Miss him a lot.”

The actor’s friend, Taimak Guarriello, only said, “He’s been having a little problem,” but would not specify what the problem was. There is concession that he has been through difficult times and it appears that those closest to him are not entirely surprised that he met an early demise.

“He’s been through a lot of tough times,” Guarriello said. “It’s unfortunate.”

One incident that raised alarm bells was when O’Brien was caught in a situation a year ago that led to him being shot three times in Harlem after an argument. He healed pretty fast, and expected to live for quite a few years after that.

“I’m a fast healer — kind of a mutant,” he told the Daily News after the shooting. “I’ve been told if this happened to someone else, they’d be dead.”

O’Brien wasn’t the lead character in “The Last Dragon.” He actually starred as Richie, the little brother of the star, Bruce Leroy. The film went on to earn millions, becoming a cult classic in the black community and beyond.

O’Brien spent eight years in jail, and was working to get his life back on track. His friend also says that he kept his talent over the years. He was including him in a variety of projects and giving him a chance to work again as an actor.

“He was very talented,” Guarriello said. “It wasn’t like he lost his talent.”

LIFE IS A FUNNY THING. I WAS ACTUALLY THINKING OF THE YOUNG BRUTHA THE OTHER DAY. I WONDERED ‘WHATEVER BECAME OF BRUCE LEROY’S LITTLE BROTHER’ FROM THE LAST DRAGON FILM. I AM SORRY TO HEAR THAT HE HAS PASSED ON. MY HEART GOES OUT TO HIS PARENTS, SIBLINGS, CLOSE FRIENDS AND FANS. I WAS A FAN MYSELF. GOD BLESS.

You did not read or catch the drift of the story. The story does not emphasize he just died. It is pointing out WHY he died. He died because he was not properly stitched up by the doctor. He did not died of the gunshot wounds. THE DOCTOR DID A LOUSY JOB OF SEWING UP HIS WOUNDS. The story is saying he died in vain. It is not about when he died. It has discovered how he died.